ES300 1995 transmission changed gears on freeway
01-23-19, 01:56 PM
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ES300 1995 transmission changed gears on freeway
Hi,
My wife was driving 70 mph on the freeway when the transmission made a clunking sound and the engine started running at very high speed (6-7,000 RPM). She slowed the car down to 45 mph since she noticed if she tried to accelerate to get her speed back up, the tachometer would run at 7-8,000 rpm and she got off at the next freeway exit. While driving home on side streets, the engine continued to race. She noticed that the gear indicator lights were lit for both "L" and "D" at the same time, on the instrument panel. ("L1" was not lit.)
She verified that the gear shift was properly set at "D" during this time and the parking brake was not engaged.
The car made it home, and the next day, I took the car out for a test drive and it seems to run and shifted fine. The gear indicator lights are back to normal. I did not take it on the freeway, however, so I haven't yet tried to drive over 45 mph yet.
Any ideas what this could be or what my next step might be? She did notice a momentary transmission gear jolt on the freeway several weeks earlier. The transmission fluid has never been changed. There are 132,487 miles on the car. The transmission fluid level is good. I wonder if the transmission was running in gear L on the freeway!
Thanks!
My wife was driving 70 mph on the freeway when the transmission made a clunking sound and the engine started running at very high speed (6-7,000 RPM). She slowed the car down to 45 mph since she noticed if she tried to accelerate to get her speed back up, the tachometer would run at 7-8,000 rpm and she got off at the next freeway exit. While driving home on side streets, the engine continued to race. She noticed that the gear indicator lights were lit for both "L" and "D" at the same time, on the instrument panel. ("L1" was not lit.)
She verified that the gear shift was properly set at "D" during this time and the parking brake was not engaged.
The car made it home, and the next day, I took the car out for a test drive and it seems to run and shifted fine. The gear indicator lights are back to normal. I did not take it on the freeway, however, so I haven't yet tried to drive over 45 mph yet.
Any ideas what this could be or what my next step might be? She did notice a momentary transmission gear jolt on the freeway several weeks earlier. The transmission fluid has never been changed. There are 132,487 miles on the car. The transmission fluid level is good. I wonder if the transmission was running in gear L on the freeway!
Thanks!
01-23-19, 05:31 PM
#2
Dysfunctional Veteran
Change the fluid! It should have been changed before 60,000 miles. Change the filter too!
DO NOT HAVE THE TRANS FLUSHED! Instead, drain it, remove the pan, change the filter, reinstall the pan and refill. Repeat as necessary every 1000 miles or every month until your fluid is back to being cherry red.
Its quite likely that your ATF is burnt or bad. Pull the dipstick, and wipe it on a white paper towel. If the fluid is not bright red, it needs changing.
L&D being lit at the same time is indicative that the vehicle is in "limp-home" mode. It likely was because the transmission was overheating.
DO NOT HAVE THE TRANS FLUSHED! Instead, drain it, remove the pan, change the filter, reinstall the pan and refill. Repeat as necessary every 1000 miles or every month until your fluid is back to being cherry red.
Its quite likely that your ATF is burnt or bad. Pull the dipstick, and wipe it on a white paper towel. If the fluid is not bright red, it needs changing.
L&D being lit at the same time is indicative that the vehicle is in "limp-home" mode. It likely was because the transmission was overheating.
01-23-19, 08:41 PM
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Wow, thanks Army of One - amazing knowledge! I’m feeling a bit more optimistic now.
Yeah, the fluid is very dark – I’ll take care of it.
We don’t drive the car very much, so I’ll do the monthly change. Later on, I’ll run the car up some hills and report back on how the transmission performed.
Yeah, the fluid is very dark – I’ll take care of it.
We don’t drive the car very much, so I’ll do the monthly change. Later on, I’ll run the car up some hills and report back on how the transmission performed.
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